Atlantic hurricane season, tracking some storms and answering questions.

Assignment 1. Concept Sketch on ENSO (El Nino Southern Oscillation) Instructions 50 points We’re going to do a concept map of the El Nino Southern Oscillation here’s how you do that.

1. First, get an 11×17 piece of paper. If you don’t have a piece that big you can make one by taping two 8.5×11 (that’s normal size) pieces together.

2. First watch the EL Nino and La Nina Explained VideoEl Nino and La Nina. Then read Chapter 9 in Introduction to Oceanography by Paul Webb online textbook.

3. Using Figures 9.6.1, 9.6.2, and 9.6.3 in Chapter 9 of the online textbook readings, construct sketches of cross-sections of ENSO Normal (non- El Nino) conditions, El Nino conditions and La Nina conditions. Now labeling, label everything you can possibly think of for each cross-section. We want this concept map to include everything any reasonable person could want to know the ENSO system. You should have THREE sketches when you are finished. Some things to think about.

Dates Dominant winds Location and approximate depth of warm and cold water in the equatorial Pacific Weather patterns on either side of the Pacific Air temperatures Direction of equatorial currents

4. Label your concept sketches with every possible thing you can think of. This should help you see and make sense of patterns in the global climate system system. Feel free to be creative, get some colored pencils and do it in color if you want. Draw little mermaids and Sponge Bob Squarepants if you want. Have all the fun you want with it. The important thing is to get the information on there so you’ve worked with it, you can see it and your brain can assimilate it. (resistance is futile) Once you’ve finished your concept sketch, photograph it (Note: it might take more than one picture to do it justice) and submit your photos to the drop box. THEN hang the concept map on your wall in all its glory for everyone to see and admire and for you to study from. Assignment 2.Weather Interpretation Instructions

1. Begin by picking a location in the continental United States (not in Florida) that starts with the first letter of your last name.

2. Go to Weather.com and make sure that the location you have chosen is listed. You will need to pick a location that is large enough to have its own statistics listed. Some locations might be too small to have a corresponding set of climatic data; if you type in a location and the website lists the necessary data, it’s an appropriate location to use for this assignment.

3. Make sure that all of the data you need to collect for this assignment is provided on the website depicting the “weather” for your chosen location. If one of the following is missing, pick a new location. Here’s what you need to record: ?

Temperature?

Relative humidity?

Air pressure in millibars or inches of Hg (either is OK to use, just be consistent)?

Barometric tendency (is the air pressure rising, falling, remaining constant, etc.?)?

Wind direction and wind speed

4. For three consecutive days at approximately the same time of day, you will record these data for the location you chose. 15 points

5. At the end of the three days, review the data you have recorded. Write a one to two-page (12 point font, double-spaced) description of your data. In this essay, address the following: Over the three days what changes occurred in the weather statistics and how did these changes relate to the movement of High/Low pressure regions, etc? You do not need to give me a day-to-day account. Instead, broadly examine the changes and the reasons why. For example, if you record a 17 degree drop in temperature over the course of two days that was accompanied by falling air pressure, you need to explain why this occurred; was it related to a cold front, a warm front, or something else? Basically, use the data you have collected, your book, and your budding meteorological savvy to guide your interpretation. 20 points. Assignment 3. Topical Cyclone Lab: The 2019 Atlantic Hurricane Season (100 points)

Instructions:

Atlantic hurricane season begins each year on June 1. As we know from readings in the textbook, these storms form within one, humid air mass and can be devasting to areas where they make landfall. For this lab exercise, you will be reviewing data from the 2019 Atlantic hurricane season, tracking some storms and answering questions. To begin this exercise: Download the Student Worksheet: Tropical Cyclone Lab and the NOAA Hurricane

Tracking Chart

Watch the video “Overview of the National Hurricane Center.” Answer questions 1-3 on your worksheet. (10 points each)

Hurricane Tracking: From the NHC website, plot the tracks of the Hurricanes on the list for the 2019 season on the NOAA Hurricane Tracking Chart. You can get the information needed on the website by clicking on the individual hurricanes. You should have a line with a daily plot point for each Hurricane from formation to dissipation. Your plot should include notations of date of formation, date of dissipation, indication of strength on the Saffir Simpson Scale for each plotted point. You should use a different color or symbol for each hurricane plotted and this information should be listed in a legend that you have created on the chart.(50 points) Answer questions 4 and 5 on your worksheet(10 points each) Upload the student worksheet and completed tracking chart to the drop box provided. 100 points total

Questions for Student Worksheet:

1.After viewing the video “Overview of the National Hurricane Center, summarize how the meteorologists at the NHC track hurricanes each season? This should be a detailed answer written in complete sentences(10 points)

2.How many named storms (hurricanes and tropical storms) all together were there in 2019?(10 points)

3.List the Hurricanes and the highest number (strongest) on the Saffir-Simpson Scale that each storm strengthened to before dissipating or making landfall.(10points) See bullet point #3!! (50 points)

4.On your completed tracking chart, are there any patterns that you can see with the hurricane tracks such as similar areas of formation, direction of movement, or similar land masses that are threatened?(10 points)

5.Did any of the hurricanes make landfall? If so, list those storms, the date of landfall and where they made landfall. Also, include any storm surge in feet, damages to coastal areas or loss of life.(10 points) Links (Both are directly linked in– Module 5): National Hurricane Center 2019 Season  Video: “Overview of the National Hurricane Center”